Coating apparatus – With means to apply electrical and/or radiant energy to work... – Electrostatic and/or electromagnetic attraction or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-22
2004-05-18
Crispino, Richard (Department: 1734)
Coating apparatus
With means to apply electrical and/or radiant energy to work...
Electrostatic and/or electromagnetic attraction or...
C118S627000, C118S621000, C118S620000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06736899
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic processing chamber, which serves as an electrostatic flocking chamber and an electrostatic coating chamber arranged in an electrostatic flocking apparatus and an electrostatic coating apparatus, respectively, wherein: a strip-like elongated workpiece such as steel strips, non-ferrous metal strips and the like is wound into a coil; the coil of the workpiece thus wound is mounted on a delivery unit; in operation, the workpiece of the coil is then unwound and delivered from the delivery unit to assume a strip-like elongated flat plate shape; subsequent to this, the flat plate-shaped workpiece is subjected to an electrostatic flocking operation and an electrostatic coating operation when passed through an electrostatic flocking chamber and an electrostatic coating chamber, respectively, in a condition in which the workpiece is electrically grounded; and, after that, the workpiece is subjected to an after-treatment, and then successively taken up in a take-up unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an electrostatic flocking operation and an electrostatic coating operation are performed: an object (to be processed) called “workpiece” is electrically grounded, and oppositely disposed from and spaced a predetermined distance apart from an electrode which is arranged in each of an electrostatic flocking chamber and an electrostatic coating chamber; an high voltage electrostatic energy is applied to the electrode to create an electrostatic field between the workpiece and the electrode, wherein electric lines of force of the electrostatic field thus created extend from the electrode toward the workpiece; at this time, using the electric lines of force, an immense number of short fibers and fine particles of an electrically insulating coating material are floated and electrostatically charged, and therefore electrostatically driven to fly to the workpiece in each of the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber in a manner such that the short fibers and the fine coating material particles are evenly implanted into and applied to the workpiece.
In the electrostatic flocking process and the electrostatic coating process described above, the workpiece is often stationarily supported on a support member which is electrically grounded in each of the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber. At this time, it is also possible to move the workpiece so as to pass through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber in the electrostatic flocking process and the electrostatic coating process. Further, even when the electrostatic processing operations described above are performed in a condition in which the workpiece is electrically grounded without using the support member, in order to evenly implant and evenly apply the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material into and to the workpiece, it is necessary to perform the above operations for a calculated predetermined operation period of time in a condition in which the workpiece is always spaced a predetermined distance apart from the electrode.
Consequently, in the electrostatic flocking and the electrostatic coating operation of the workpiece traveling through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber, it is inevitably required to review: the operation period of time required for each of the electrostatic flocking operation and the electrostatic coating operation; and, a traveling speed of the workpiece, at which speed the workpiece travels through each of the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber.
As for types of means for performing both the electrostatic flocking operation of the short fibers and the electrostatic coating operation of the fine particles of coating material, the following types of means are considered: a down-type means, in which the electrode is disposed over the workpiece, while the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material are delivered from above the workpiece to perform the electrostatic flocking operation and the electrostatic coating operation; an up-type means, in which the electrode is disposed under the workpiece, while the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material are delivered from under the workpiece to perform the electrostatic flocking operation and the electrostatic coating operation; and, a side-type means, in which the electrode lies in a plane in which the workpiece lies so that the electrode and the workpiece are arranged side by side in the same plane, whereby the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material are delivered from alongside of the workpiece to perform the electrostatic flocking operation and the electrostatic coating operation.
In case that the electrostatic flocking and the electrostatic coating operation are performed in a condition in which the workpiece assuming a strip-like flat plate shape travels through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber, and, further, when there is no necessity to reduce the operation period of time, there is also no necessity to consider any improvement of each of the conventional electrostatic flocking chamber and the conventional electrostatic coating chamber in construction.
The reason why this is so because it is sufficient for the workpiece to pass through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber as is in the conventional processes.
In contrast with this, in order to reduce the operation period of time in the electrostatic flocking and the electrostatic coating operation of the workpiece, and, further, in order to improve these operations in operation efficiency, it is necessary to pass the workpiece through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber at high speed. Furthermore, in order to thickly at a predetermined thickness and evenly implant and apply the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material into and to the workpiece in the electrostatic flocking and the electrostatic coating operation, respectively, it is necessary to pass the workpiece at high speed through an improved electrostatic flocking chamber and an improved electrostatic coating chamber both of which chambers are improved in construction so as to be capable of thickly at a predetermined thickness and evenly implanting and applying the short fibers and the fine particles of coating material into and to the workpiece, respectively.
Due to the above necessity, it is inevitably required to improve in construction both the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber in a manner such that: a traveling distance of the workpiece between an inlet opening and an outlet opening of each of the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber is increased, that is, an area in which the workpiece is oppositely disposed from the electrode is elongated along the workpiece's traveling path, which means an increase in longitudinal length of an electrode area in which the electrode is arranged along the workpiece's traveling path.
In case that the strip-like elongated object or workpiece is light in weight as is in the case of a sheet of paper or cloths: the workpiece is arranged to pass through the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber, in each of which chambers the electrode area described above is increased in its longitudinal length along the workpiece's traveling path; in performing the electrostatic flocking and the electrostatic coating operation in a condition in which the workpiece travels, there is no fear that the distance between the workpiece and the electrode varies in each of the electrostatic flocking chamber and the electrostatic coating chamber when the workpiece travels through these chambes, since there is substantially no slack in the workpiece when the workpiece is pulled vertically and hor
Abe Masaaki
Tatsumi Teruyuki
Koch, III George R.
Mesac Corporation
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
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